FROM ALL DIRECTIONS
INDIGENOUS AND REGIONAL CULTURES
AND WORLD MARKETS
News from Bronitsky and Associates
Bringing Together Indigenous Peoples and the World Since 1992
Dr Gordon Bronitsky, President, Bronitsky and Associates, 216 Edith SE, Albuquerque, NM 87102, cell 505-238-3739; e-mail
European Office:
Dirk Steitz, Hofackerring 11, 79206 Breisach 3, Germany; Tel: +49
7664-408 972; e-mail
a bi-monthly newsletter from Bronitsky and Associates about events and people from indigenous and regional cultures in the international scene - festivals, funding, conferences, publications and current issues.
Correspondence, subscription/unsubscription, opportunities, talent news, etc. should be directed to the United States office
Circulation: 5322
Our News - what's keeping us busy!
New website pictures
Sami rights pioneer Magne Ove Varsi—April 2010 US tour
Sami playwright Harriet Nordlund—US tour
For Your Diary
Events
Festivals
Funding
Conferences
Publications
Call for Submissions and Papers
News
Sites of Interest
Our News - what's keeping us busy!
New Website Pictures
Check out our website homepage. We have added pictures from 15 years of tours—and many wonderful memories.
Sami Rights Pioneer Magne Ove Varsi—Upcoming US Tour
Magne Ove Varsi is a Sami rights pioneer and founder/director of the Gáldu Resource Centre for the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in Kautokeino, Norway (www.galdu.org). The resource centre was created to increase information about the rights of Sami and other indigenous peoples.
Mr. Varsi’s diverse career also includes:
- lecturer in journalism at the Sámi University College
- news editor for SVT Sápmi in connection with the establishment and joint Nordic Sámi TV news on SVT2, NRK 1 and YLE
- president of the Sámi Journalisstaid Seari (Sámi Journalists Association) 1998-2001
- and many other journalistic and international activities
Mr. Varsi’s lecture topics include:
- Sami self-determination
- Territories, lands, and natural resources
- Indigenous intellectual property rights
Magne Ove Varsi has been invited to speak at the United Nations in New York in May 2010 as part of Indigenous Peoples Month and has asked Bronitsky and Associates to develop an American speaking tour for him before his appearance at the UN.
If you would be interested in hosting Mr. Varsi, please contact Gordon Bronitsky, President of Bronitsky and Associates, at .
Sami Playwright Harriet Nordlund—US Tour
We just finished touring Sami playwright Harriet Nordlund to Minnesota, Wisconsin and North Carolina. It was a very exciting and productive tour, and you can read all about it on our blog.
For both Harriet and myself, the most exciting evening took place October 4 at:
New Native Theatre
The 2009 Well Red Reading Series
Native playwright and director Rhiana Yazzie presented a reading of two of Harriet Nordlund’s short works. This reading was accompanied by other short pieces written by local Native authors with perspectives on government Boarding Schools, an international phenomena experienced by indigenous people throughout the world. A talk-back with Harriet followed.
Rhiana then interviewed Harriet on her program and directed another reading on First Nations Radio on KFAI 90.3 FM Minneapolis, 106.7 FM in Saint Paul. The interview is archived at kfai.org. New Native Theater is a very exciting new Native theater company in the Twin Cities—Harriet and I both thank Rhiana for making this wonderful evening happen. For more Information about New Native Theater, go to www.newnativetheatre.org.
For Your Diary
If you would like to list an event, activity or publication with us, please forward details to before the 28th of each month to ensure its inclusion in the next FROM ALL DIRECTIONS newsletter.
Events
Marko Lukac--New CD "Around The World"
Marko Lukac (composer) is presently working on his third CD called
"Around The World,” inspired by the different cultures and sounds
from around the world.
With his collaborations, once again, he is presenting some great and amazing musicians and people with passion and vision to bring together traditions and cultures, in this case through the music. "I am so excited to work on project like this! It shows the music as a universal language that has no boundaries... with people and nature as one World," Marko explains.
Bronitsky and Associates is especially delighted that the new CD will include music from Inuit throatsingers Aniksak and Uyaupiq.
For more information about “Around the World," please contact Gordon Bronitsky at .
WORLD IN THE CITY: Tibetan and Bulgarian
Song & Dance
November 7 Saturday
8 pm
The Faison Firehouse Theatre, 6 Hancock Pl., NY, NY 10027
$20 (General) , $15 (Lotus Members, Seniors & Students - ID
Required)
Lotus Music & Dance is pleased to present World in the City, an annual performance series of traditional music and dance that highlights the similarities and differences between cultures as well as presents rarely seen art forms. Our 2009-10 series will center on the themes of harvest and thanksgiving. The Fall program will feature Tibetan (Ngawang Choephel & Yulshey Lankyen) and Bulgarian (Elissaveta Iordanova and Company) dance and music.
Please visit www.lotusmusicanddance.org or call 212-627-1076 for more details and to purchase tickets.
Upcoming Speakers at the Indian Arts
Research Center at the School for Advanced Research, Santa Fe, New
Mexico
The Indian Arts Research Center at the School for Advanced Research
is pleased to announce its 2009-2010 speaker series highlighting
important topics relevant to current issues and discussions in
contemporary Native arts, anthropology of museums, and research and
Native collections. Notable speakers in academia and the museum
field will share their research and expertise each month starting in
September through May. Presentations are free and open to the public
and held in the SAR Boardroom in Santa Fe, NM. The talks are also
available as audio on
www.sarweb.org
soon after the presentation date. Please call 505.954.7205 or visit
www.sarweb.org
for more information.
Nancy Mithlo,
Ph.D.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Assistant Professor, American Indian Studies & Art History,
University of Wisconsin
Within and Outside: The American Indian
Presence at the Venice Biennale, 1999-2009
Chip Colwell-Chanthaphonh,
Ph.D.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Curator of Anthropology & NAGPRA Officer, Denver Museum of Nature &
Science
"They Are Digging Up Our Ancestors":
Archaeology in an Age of Accountability
The School for Advanced Research is located at 660 Garcia Street,
Santa Fe, NM.
Please call (505) 954-7205 or visit
www.speaker.series.sarweb.org for more information.
Festivals
Pacific Dance Fono
November 13-14
Manukau, New Zealand
Moving between traditional and contemporary worlds through dance is the theme of this year’s national fono. Papua New Guinean choreographer, Julia Mage’au Gray, will be the featured guest artist at this year’s Pacific Dance Fono in Manukau.
The two-day fono programme will feature master dance classes in various Polynesian dance forms, a hip hop dance workshop, a series of panel discussions, professional development workshops and presentation of three new works.
Pacific choreographers and dancers are invited to apply for the choreographic lab and complete a ‘call for submissions’ form.
For fono registrations, submission forms and more information, please email or phone 09 815 5772.
Australasian World Music Expo (AWME)
November 19-22
Melbourne, Australia
The Australasian World Music Expo (AWME) will take place in Melbourne from 19-22 November, 2009. Now in its second year, AWME is the Australia-Pacific region's premier music industry conference and showcase of Indigenous, roots and world music, and a major event which cements Melbourne's reputation as Australia's live music capital.
Performing at AWME 2009 will be Blue King Brown, Archie Roach, The Pigram Brothers (Australia), Toguna (Reunion Islands/France), Batucada Sound Machine (NZ), Dya Singh World Music Group and Djan Djan featuring Jeff Lang (Australia), Mamadou Diabate (Mali) and Bobby Singh (India/Australia), Little Bushman (NZ), Tumi (South Africa), Shakura Stringband (Vanuatu), Grace Barbe (Seychelles/Australia), Mihirangi (NZ/Australia), Tama Waipara (NZ), Moab Stringband (PNG), Noreum Machi (South Korea), Laya Film Project (India), Narasirato Pan Pipes (Solomon Islands), Public Opinion Afro Orchestra and San Lazaro, plus many other exciting local and international artists to be announced.
AWME is a unique event which has been described as the South by South West of world and Indigenous music. By day, AWME is a trade fair which attracts some of the world's most prominent and influential festival bookers, talent agents, record labels and media for workshops, panel discussions and industry networking. Confirmed international delegates this year include representatives from Winnipeg Folk Festival, Glastonbury Festival, Festival Mundial, Sierra Nevada World Music Festival, Sakifo Musik Festival, Auckland Festival, Sfinks Festival Belgium and the Cumbancha and Putamayo world music labels, among many more.
Delegates registrations are now open via the AWME website (awme.com.au) and music industry professionals from around Australia are encouraged to register. Being a delegate gives artist managers, event managers, record labels, and other professionals working in the world, indigenous and folk/roots music industry, the opportunity to network and gain valuable insights from the movers and shakers on the international world music scene.
Funding
USArtists International Offers Funding
for Artists to Perform at Festivals Abroad
USArtists International, a program of the Mid Atlantic Arts
Foundation in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts
and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, is committed to ensuring that
the range of expression and creativity of the performing arts in the
United States is represented at international festivals abroad.
Grants are available to American dance, music, and theater ensembles and solo artists that have been invited to participate in international festivals outside the United States. Eligible applicants must be dance, music or theater ensembles, including practitioners of folk and traditional forms, that work at a professional level, count a majority of members who are citizens or permanent residents of the U.S., and have 501(c)(3) nonprofit status or have a fiscal sponsor with such status.
Eligible festivals must be sponsored or organized primarily by a non-U.S.-based organization; be international in scope with representation from at least two countries outside the host country, or have a U.S. theme with representation from at least three U.S. performing groups; reach a wide audience and be open and marketed to the general public; provide the applicant with a signed letter of invitation or signed contract to perform at the festival; and provide some support to the invited ensembles in the form of cash remuneration, paid travel-related expenses, or in-kind contributions. Grants will seldom cover the applicant's total expenses and generally will range from $1,000 to $10,000 each, but will not exceed $15,000.
The deadline is January 8, 2010,
for projects taking place between March 1, 2010, and February 28,
2011; and May 3, 2010, for projects taking place between July 1,
2010, and June 30, 2011.
http://www.midatlanticarts.org/funding/pat_presentation/us_artists/index.html
Conferences
World Indigenous Television Broadcasting
Conference 2010
March 9-12, 2010
Taiwan
The WITBC 2010 will be held from March 9th to 12th, 2010 in Taiwan. This is a great opportunity to better understand indigenous cultures and the development of indigenous television broadcasting worldwide. We sincerely invite you to participate and share your knowledge with us. Early bird rates are available. Early registrations by university/college students will qualify for subsidies on the registration fee. The registration began in August 2009.
To register or find out more information, visit http://activity.pts.org.tw/TiTV/WITBC2010/03-E.html
Publications
The Last of the Shor Shamans (Paperback)
by Alexander Arbachakov and Luba
Arbachakov, published by O Books, 2009.
"Although shamanism has again become a vital part of the lives of
many Siberians such as with the Tuvan people as well as the Buryat
peoples near Lake Baikal - many ancient indigenous languages are
endangered and shamanism as an oral and living tradition is dying,
or has died out within Siberia groups such as the Ob-Ugric, the
Nganansan and the Shor. The Shor shamanic legacy might not be
remembered if not for a book such as this.
Indigenous Shor themselves, Luba Arbachakov is a folklorist and expert on indigenous culture and spirituality, and Alexander Arbachkov is a photographer and was director for many years of his own NGO, the Agency for the Protection of the Taiga. In this beautiful compilation, Alexander and Luba bring together previously disparate information on Shor shamanism. From the firsthand perspective of their own fieldwork, they portray the worldview, culture and rituals of the Shor and provide ethnographic sketches of some of the few remaining and contemporary shamans. Text of the shamanic verses of two of these Shor elders, previously unpublished in English, are presented here for the first time.
Call for Submissions and Papers
11th Native American Literatures Symposium
March 4-6, 2010
Isleta Casino & Resort
Albuquerque, New Mexico
MANY VOICES, ONE CENTER
Call for Proposals
DEADLINE: October 31, 2009
With literature as a crossroads where many forms of knowledge meet—art, history, politics, science, religion—we welcome once again spirited participation on all aspects of Native American studies. We invite proposals for individual papers, panel discussions, readings, exhibits, demonstrations, and workshops.
All queries, proposals, registration forms, and checks should be sent to the Program Director:
Dr. Gwen Westerman
Native American Literature Symposium
English Department
230 Armstrong Hall
Minnesota State University, Mankato
Mankato, MN 56001
E-mail:
(507) 389-2117
(507)389-5362 (fax)
PROPOSAL and REGISTRATION FORMS can be printed from the NALS web site: www.mnsu.edu/nativelit
News
Anton Carter Chosen as Senior Pacific
Arts Adviser at Creative New Zealand
Anton Carter comes well qualified for his new role as Senior Pacific
Arts Adviser at Creative New Zealand given his extensive involvement
in contemporary Pacific arts over the past 20 years as an artist and
an arts manager/producer.
Anton was the former manager of pioneering performing arts group Pacific Underground from Christchurch from 1995 to 1998. In 1999 he started at Creative New Zealand as the Pacific Arts Adviser and went on to become the Strategy Advisor for Pacific Arts, a role in which he was responsible for strategy development, policy advice, special initiatives, research projects and reporting to Boards.
An accomplished performer, Anton has been DJing and MCing since the late 80s, is a member of award winning band Rhombus and has played all major music events in New Zealand over the past 10 years, as well as having performed in Australia, Japan, UK, Samoa, Fiji, Cook Islands, Hawai’i and New York. He hosts a weekly radio show called ‘Audio Mechanics’ www.radioactive.co.nz and is a founding member of the Pacific Arts Alliance, an organisation set up to empower and give a voice for Pacific artists through collaboration and creative expression www.pacificartsalliance.com
Music Video for Ariana Tikao’s
song, TUIA, wins Best Music Video at imagineNATIVE Film + Media
Awards
The music video directed by Louise Potiki Bryant for Ariana Tikao’s
song TUIA, won ‘Best Music Video’ at the imagineNATIVE Film + Media
Awards in Toronto, Canada, on October 19th 2009. TUIA is the title
track of the Ariana’s critically acclaimed second solo album
released in 2008. The album was funded by Te Waka Toi, (Creative New
Zealand).
The video was shot, directed and edited by Louise Potiki Bryant last year. The editing process, which Louise equates to the process of painting, involved developing the footage of these actual landscapes into textured, dream-like worlds. She filmed Ariana in culturally significant landscapes on Banks Peninsula and surrounding areas. Ariana’s Kai Tahu tipuna (ancestors) lived in various kaika, or villages all over Banks Peninsula, as well as Tuahiwi, a settlement north of Christchurch.
“What I attempted to do with the video was create images to match the ethereal power of Ariana’s voice. I decided to create landscapes that appear to exist within Ariana, as her internal landscapes. I also developed textured external worlds within which she exists and transforms.”
Email Contacts for Louise and Ariana are:
Louise:
Ariana: ph 0274 535 738
See TUIA on u-tube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-_x5pJe5Og
Australia wins bid to host World Summit on Arts and Culture
The International Federation of Arts Councils and Culture Agencies
(IFACCA) today announced that the Australia Council for the Arts
will host the 5th World Summit on Arts and Culture in Melbourne,
Australia, in October 2011.
http://www.australiacouncil.gov.au/news/news_items/australia_wins_bid_to_host_world_summit_on_arts_and_culture
Culture ministers of Islamic countries to meet in Baku
Azerbaijan is expected to host a number of international events
initiated by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism by the end of the
year. Azerbaijani Minister of Culture and Tourism Abulfas Garayev
said the International Music Week will start in Baku this week on
the occasion of well-known Azerbaijani composer Uzeyir Hajibeyov’s
anniversary. This event will be held as part of “Baku - Islamic
Culture Capital 2009.
http://www.today.az/news/society/55616.html
Language of power is focus in legal action over sackings—Ainu
language, Japan
3 September 2009
By Melanie Newman
Three academics who were sacked by a Japanese university on charges
of "academic harassment" have claimed that they were ousted for
attempting to teach an indigenous language. The professors of
educational linguistics, who have asked not to be named, are
bringing legal action against Hokkaido University of Education after
being fired by the institution in February.
Academic harassment - a relatively new concept in Japan - is defined as the abuse of power of one's academic position. The university has accused the academics of "violating the human rights of the students under their supervision" by forcing them to work on an "extraordinary volume of assignments" for their own research purposes.
As a result, nine students suffered physical or psychological problems including hallucinations, the institution claimed. Reports in the Japanese media have highlighted the fact that the three staff had chosen the indigenous language of Ainu as a theme for collaborative research for students majoring in English-language education.
The Ainu people are indigenous to northern Japan, where Hokkaido University is situated. Historically marginalised, their language is now on the verge of extinction. Recommendations made recently by a government committee to tackle discrimination of the Ainu people have been opposed by some conservative groups in Japan, which fear that the measures proposed could open the door to land claims and affirmative action.
At the time of their sacking, the three Hokkaido professors were teaching Ainu courses, with the approval of the university, and developing Japanese-Ainu dictionaries. In 2007, two of the professors started constructing a database of books written in Ainu held by Japanese libraries, enlisting the help of student volunteers.
The professors said that while it was true that some students made complaints, the university "exploited these complaints and fabricated a story about harassment." In a statement to Times Higher Education, they say the university accused them of "creating a cult group and engaging in mind control of the students". The professors allege that their department head was told by a senior manager to stop them from teaching Ainu, a claim denied by the university.
After they were removed from their jobs, the Ainu language and
culture classes they taught were scrapped, the professors say,
adding that Japanese-Ainu dual-language signposts within the
university have been taken down. Yoshiya Goto, the university's
executive director, denied that the teaching of the Ainu language
had played any part in their dismissal and reiterated the allegation
that the professors had "abused students' human rights". He said:
"Our resolution was not arbitrary but was based on a thorough
investigation and followed the appropriate procedures. Their
complaint is therefore entirely false." He added that the professors
had applied for an injunction against their dismissal at the Sapporo
District Court, but their attempt had failed.
http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storycode=407967
11th Annual Native American Music Award Winners
Niagara Falls, NY – On Saturday October 3, 2009 the Eleventh Annual
Native American Music Awards (N.A.M.A.) was held at the Seneca
Niagara Hotel & Casino in Niagara Falls in front of a packed house
that featured consistently outstanding live music performances along
with an emotionally charged Hall of Fame induction in honor of the
late Ritchie Valens.
Taking this year's top honors were Joanne Shenandoah & Michael Bucher's Bitter Tears Sacred Ground for Best Compilation, Jana Mashonee's rendition of Sam Cooke's, A Change Is Gonna Come with Derek Miller for Song/Single of the Year, Jan Michael Looking Wolf for Artist of the Year, Skylar Wolf for Debut Artist of the Year, Will and Lil Jess for Debut Duo/Group of the Year, Kevin Locke's Earth Gift for Record of the Year, and American Idol Semi-finalist Charly Lowry for Best Video for her long form video featuring her song, Movin On.
Hosted with grace, class, style, humor and even professional music talent by actor Gil Birmingham, others on hand at the Awards ceremony included: Shane Yellowbird who won for Best Country Recording, Atsiaktonkie who won for Best Folk Recording, Flutist of the Year JJ Kent, Wind Spirit Drum whose recording Amazing Grace took Best Gospel Inspirational Recording, Thunder Hawk Singers for Best Historical Recording, Gabriel Ayala for Best Instrumental Recording, Bryan Akipa For Best Male Artist, Eagle & Hawk for Best Rock Recording, Rezhogs for Best Rap Hip Hop Recording, Oshkii Giizhik Singers for Best Traditional Recording, Michael Searching Bear for Best World Music Recording, and Michael Brant DeMaria for the Native Heart Award.
Other nominees in attendance included; Benjamin Grimes, Kelly Montijo Fink, Jackie Tice, Mike Serna, Pappy Johns Band, Jimmy Shendo, Augusta Cecconi Bates, Douglas Blue Feather, Yvonne St Germaine and Donna Kay who all participated in the program.
The Native American Music Awards & Association, founded in 1998, is the world’s leading membership-based association consisting of music industry professionals directly involved in the recording and distribution of traditional and contemporary Native American Music initiatives. The growing success of the Awards show now features over one hundred and fifty nominees annually, with at least one third of those nominees being new artists. For the past eleven years the Awards has set industry standards for professional Native American musicians who are gaining greater acceptance and exposure from both national and international audiences.
Sites of Interest
For more information please contact: .
Now that we’ve just finished touring Sami playwright Harriet Nordlund to the US and are in the midst of preparations to bring Sami rights pioneer Magne Ove Varsi here, we thought you might be interested in learning more about the Sami, the Indigenous people of northern Scandinavia. Here are some good places to start, and all have English-language pages:
www.galdu.org
www.samer.se
www.sametinget.se
New Native Theatre, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Here’s an exciting new Native theater company—we’re sure everyone
will be hearing more about their work!
www.newnativetheatre.org
Albanian websites
http://www.arch.tirana.cchnet.it/seksionet
http://www.hist.tirana.cchnet.it/koleksioni
http://www.shpendbengu.com
http://www.theconcentra.org/en/links/
http://www.youtube.com/ShpendBengu
http://albania.shqiperia.com/
Photos: hhttp://puglialbania.metavista.it/puglialbania/opac/albania/manichini.jsp?from=0
Australasian World Music Expo
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